Notice of Inventory Completion: Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, Olympia, WA, 63791-63793 [2016-22313]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 180 (Friday, September 16, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63791-63793]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-22313]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-21817; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Washington State Parks and 
Recreation Commission, Olympia, WA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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[[Page 63792]]

SUMMARY: The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission 
[hereafter State Parks], has completed an inventory of human remains 
and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the appropriate 
Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that 
there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and 
associated funerary objects and present-day Indian tribes or Native 
Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or representatives of any 
Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this 
notice that wish to request transfer of control of these human remains 
and associated funerary objects should submit a written request to the 
State Parks. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer of 
control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the 
lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations 
stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or 
Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to the State Parks at the address in this notice 
by October 17, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Alicia Woods, Washington State Parks and Recreation 
Commission, P.O. Box 42650, Olympia, WA 98504-2650, telephone (360) 
902-0939, email Alicia.Woods@parks.wa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is here given in accordance with the 
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 
U.S.C. 3003, of the completion of an inventory of human remains and 
associated funerary objects under the control of the State Parks. The 
human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Cama 
Beach State Park, Island County, WA.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3). The 
determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the Native 
American human remains. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the State 
Parks professional staff in consultation with representatives of the 
Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians of Washington (previously listed as the 
Stillaguamish Tribe of Washington); Swinomish Indian Tribal Community 
(previously listed as the Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish 
Reservation of Washington); Tulalip Tribes of Washington (previously 
listed as the Tulalip Tribes of the Tulalip Reservation of Washington); 
and Upper Skagit Indian Tribe.

History and Description of the Remains

    Between 2004 and 2006, human remains representing, at minimum, 
three individuals were removed from the Cama Beach Shell Midden Site on 
Camano Island in Island County, WA. No known individuals were 
identified. The 483 associated funerary objects are 170 lots of 
unmodified shell, 1 perforated shell, 124 lots of unmodified bone, 8 
modified bone objects, 73 lots of fire modified rock, 13 stone tools, 1 
modified wood object, 3 lots of ochre, 42 lots of charcoal, 30 lots of 
bulk material, 16 historic objects, and 2 lots of botanical material.
    Between 2002 and 2006, State Parks contracted Cascadia Archaeology 
to survey and subsequently perform excavation and data recovery of site 
45-IS-2 for the purposes of upgrading sewer and utility lines. 
Historically the site is a 1930s-1980s fishing and vacation resort with 
cabins for visitors and housing for owners and management. During 
excavation and data recovery it was determined the site's prehistoric 
use was as a seasonal Native American fishing site. During the survey 
and excavation phases of the project four burials were discovered. The 
burials were left in-situ and avoided per the request of tribal 
representatives in consultation with State Parks' staff on-site. The 
human remains and funerary objects listed in this notice were 
identified as human in the lab during the analysis phase between 2005 
and 2008.
    Camano Island is located in Puget Sound between Whidbey Island and 
mainland Washington State; the Cama Beach Shell Midden site is on the 
western shores of the island. Saratoga Passage is a waterway between 
the two islands. Along Saratoga Passage, the shores of both islands are 
rich in prehistoric Native American seasonal resources sites.
    Historical and anthropological sources indicate that the Kikiallus, 
Swinomish, Lower Skagit and Stillaguamish peoples occupied, and had 
village sites in, the Penn Cove area of Whidbey Island and on the 
northwestern shore of Camano Island. The Snohomish people (a 
predecessor group to, and represented by, the present-day Tulalip 
Tribes of Washington) had a permanent village at the southernmost end 
of the island.
    Through kinship ties and alliances, and by invitation, the 
Kikiallus, Upper Skagit, Lower Skagit, Snohomish, Stillaguamish, and 
Swinomish peoples utilized the waterways, resource grounds, and the 
beaches of Camano and Whidbey Islands. These peoples shared the same 
language, and maintained similar economic traditions, social and 
ceremonial customs, as well as trade and defense alliances.
    State Parks staff has determined these human remains and associated 
funerary objects to be culturally affiliated with the Stillaguamish 
Tribe of Indians of Washington (previously listed as the Stillaguamish 
Tribe of Washington); the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community (previously 
listed as the Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation of 
Washington); the Tulalip Tribes of Washington (previously listed as the 
Tulalip Tribes of the Tulalip Reservation of Washington); and the Upper 
Skagit Indian Tribe.

Determinations Made by the Washington State Parks and Recreation 
Commission

    Officials of the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission 
have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of, at minimum, three 
individuals of Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 483 objects 
described in this notice are reasonably believed to have been placed 
with or near individual human remains at the time of death or later as 
part of the death rite or ceremony.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native 
American human remains and the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians of 
Washington (previously listed as the Stillaguamish Tribe of 
Washington); Swinomish Indian Tribal Community (previously listed as 
the Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation of Washington); 
Tulalip Tribes of Washington (previously listed as the Tulalip Tribes 
of the Tulalip Reservation of Washington); and Upper Skagit Indian 
Tribe, Washington.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written

[[Page 63793]]

request with information in support of the request to Alicia Woods, 
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, P.O. Box 42650, 
Olympia, WA 98504-2650, telephone (360) 902-0939, email 
Alicia.Woods@parks.wa.gov, by October 17, 2016. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects to the Stillaguamish 
Tribe of Indians of Washington (previously listed as the Stillaguamish 
Tribe of Washington); the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community (previously 
listed as the Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation of 
Washington); the Tulalip Tribes of Washington (previously listed as the 
Tulalip Tribes of the Tulalip Reservation of Washington); and the Upper 
Skagit Indian Tribe may proceed.
    The State Parks is responsible for notifying the Stillaguamish 
Tribe of Indians of Washington (previously listed as the Stillaguamish 
Tribe of Washington); the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community (previously 
listed as the Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation of 
Washington); the Tulalip Tribes of Washington (previously listed as the 
Tulalip Tribes of the Tulalip Reservation of Washington); and the Upper 
Skagit Indian Tribe that this notice has been published.

    Dated: August 23, 2016.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2016-22313 Filed 9-15-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-50-P